The use of explosive charges to create openings in metallic objects or structures is often useful in various applications such as for disabling explosive ordnance, for industrial applications such as venting, and for enabling entry past barriers, such as for enabling rescues, as well as for other similar applications. There is an unmet need for a dual initiation explosive charge that can be implemented as an inexpensive, easily- and quickly-rendered apparatus; having the capability to breach, fracture, penetrate or cut steel or other metallic targets; having the capability to cut extremely long metallic targets with a single dual initiation apparatus; having the capability to fracture and breach a target with a breach pattern of widely varying geometric, polygonal, or free-form shapes in a metallic target; having the capability of producing generally fragment-free scattering in the surroundings of a target; and having the capability of producing generally no spallation at the back of a target surface.
The configuration of the DISC apparatus invention addresses these needs and provides a number of advantages over previous explosive charge configurations. Rather than specifying initiation at least three equidistant points along the periphery of a sheet explosive such as is characteristic of other explosive charges, the DISC apparatus invention is initiated by a single detonator or initiation source and detonates a strip of explosive charge at two separate contacts. When the explosive charge is initiated at the two contact areas, explosively induced stresses reflect within the target and meet to create a fracture along a generally single fracture contour in the target. This contrasts with other explosive charge devices that create multiple fracture lines in a target when initiated at least three equidistant points. In creating the generally single fracture contour in a target, the DISC apparatus invention produces less spallation than other explosive charge devices configured with similar amounts of high explosive. That is, the explosive charge configuration of the DISC apparatus creates a fracture in the target along a generally single fracture contour, thus creating a breach in a target, and this single fracture contour produces generally fragment-free scattering and less spallation than explosive charge configurations that induce multiple fracture lines within a target.
In addition, the methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus provide numerous advantages over previous methods for making and implementing explosive charges. The methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus comprise steps for rapid prototyping; implement efficient steps and designs for metering consistent, repeatable, and controlled amount of high explosive; and utilize readily available materials; and can be implemented quickly in the field.
The methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus comprise steps for designing, integrating, configuring, and coupling components from sophisticated, yet inexpensive materials and techniques. The two main structural components of the DISC apparatus invention can be created comprising steps for rapid prototyping and can incorporate one or a combination of a wide range of rapid prototyping techniques as fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), rapid injection molding, or other similar techniques. Steps for rapid prototyping enable the creation of an intricate, sophisticated, and efficient explosive firing train and dual initiation structure of a DISC apparatus at a fraction of the cost compared to other manufacturing processes. The methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus comprises steps for the design and creation of efficient metering of explosive configured within the cavities of the components of the dual initiation structure of the DISC, and can be quickly implemented by configuring and coupling the explosive firing train with the dual initiation structure of the DISC.
Similarly, use of time consuming or complicated connectors for coupling the components of the apparatus are eliminated as the methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus integrate coupling mechanisms that are designed and configured within the dual initiation structure of the DISC. The method for making comprises these or similar steps and enable the DISC apparatus invention to be created as an inexpensive, easily- and quickly-rendered apparatus and can be implemented quickly in the field.
The Figures depict various embodiments and configurations of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. Note that the Figures are not necessarily illustrated to scale. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments and configurations of the invention's apparatus and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.